What Is a Butterfly Weed?

The butterfly weed is a brightly-colored plant that gets its name from the fact that it attracts butterflies. A popular butterfly to be attracted to the plant is the monarch, which feeds on the leaves of the plant.

Butterfly weed begins growing slowly in the spring and needs to be planted well before the growth season in a location where it gets plenty of sun and has enough room to grow. It reaches about 2 to 3 feet in width and 1 to 8 feet in height. This perennial grows in many bright colors, including white, red, orange and pink. It has a gold-like foliage color and a summer bloom. It is ideal in places without a lot of rainfall as it is drought-tolerant. It also attracts birds.